At a press conference announcing socio-economic statistics for the second quarter and the first six months of 2026, organized by the General Statistics Office ( Ministry of Finance ) on the morning of July 3rd in Hanoi, Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, Director of the General Statistics Office, stated that economic growth continued to maintain a positive trend in the second quarter as well as the first six months of the year.
GDP in the second quarter of 2026 showed relatively strong growth at 8.39% compared to the same period last year. The industrial and construction sector continued to be the main driver of growth, increasing by 10.51%, contributing approximately half of the overall economic growth. The service sector grew by 7.87%, contributing nearly 44.3%, while the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector increased by 4.06%.
Overall, in the first six months of the year, GDP increased by 8.18% compared to the same period last year, higher than the 7.63% increase in the same period of 2025. Industry and construction and services continued to be the two sectors contributing the most to growth, while agriculture maintained its supporting role with stable growth.
The growth trend is reflected across many sectors of the economy. The Industrial Production Index (IIP) in the second quarter increased by 11.2% compared to the same period last year; overall, industrial production increased in all 34 localities nationwide during the first six months of the year. The number of workers employed in industrial enterprises as of June 1st increased by 3.1% compared to the same period last year.
Domestic trade and consumption continued to thrive. Total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue in the first six months of the year are estimated at nearly 3.89 trillion VND, an increase of 12.9% compared to the same period last year; excluding price factors, the increase was still 7.3%.
In the business sector, the picture is a mix of positive signs and lingering challenges. In June, the country saw over 16,800 new businesses established and 13,600 businesses resuming operations. However, the number of businesses temporarily suspending operations, awaiting dissolution, and completing dissolution also increased.
In the first six months of the year, nearly 169,800 new businesses were established or resumed operations nationwide, an increase of 11.2% compared to the same period last year, averaging about 28,300 businesses entering or re-entering the market each month. Meanwhile, more than 151,000 businesses withdrew from the market, an increase of 18.8%, equivalent to nearly 25,200 businesses per month.
Regarding monetary and financial matters, as of June 26th, capital mobilization by credit institutions increased by 5.02%, while credit growth reached 7.41%. On the stock market, the average trading value per session reached approximately 29.3 trillion VND, equivalent to the average level in 2025; trading on the bond market increased by 11.5%.
Attracting foreign investment continues to be a bright spot. As of June 30th, total registered FDI capital in Vietnam reached US$34.65 billion, a 61% increase compared to the same period last year. Actual FDI disbursed is estimated at US$13.03 billion, an 11.2% increase.
Conversely, Vietnam's outbound investment also increased sharply. In the first six months of the year, total newly registered and adjusted investment capital reached US$1.21 billion, 2.5 times higher than the same period last year.
The import-export services sector maintained double-digit growth. Service exports in the first six months of the year are estimated at US$17.42 billion, an increase of 20.5%; with tourism and transportation continuing to be the two main service groups. Service imports reached US$22.96 billion, an increase of 19.4%, bringing the service trade deficit to US$5.54 billion.
Regarding price developments, the consumer price index (CPI) in June decreased by 0.39% compared to the previous month. On average for the first six months of the year, the CPI increased by 4.38% compared to the same period last year, while core inflation increased by 4.12%.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Huong, to maintain growth momentum in the remaining months of the year, it is necessary to implement seven groups of solutions simultaneously, including: stabilizing the macroeconomy and controlling inflation; restructuring agriculture; promoting industrial production; stimulating consumer demand; promoting sustainable exports; improving the investment and business environment and attracting high-quality FDI; and proactively preventing and combating natural disasters and epidemics, and ensuring social security.
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/kinh-te-duy-tri-da-phuc-hoi-tich-cuc/20260703100733287
